Trunk-tray.



(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 27, I900. S. B. SMITH.

TRUNK TRAY.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.)

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No. 645,979. Patented Mar. 27, I900. s. B. SMITH.

TRUNK TRAYQ' (Application filed. Mar. 29, 1899.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

TRUNK-TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,979, dated March 2'7, 1900.

Application filed March 29, 1899. Serial No.711 .007. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, SARA BARKER SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Livermore, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Trunk-Trays, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This improvement is designed to provide trays for trunks which will be much more convenient in use than those now commonly employed and to this end the invention consists in the peculiar constructionhereinafter more particularly described and then definitely claimed at the end hereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a trunk withthe top open and one of my trays set therein. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a deep tray with parts represented set the supports 2 and 3, the form of which is clearly shown in the detail Figs. 4c and 5. In these supports are to be set as many trays 4 as may be desired by the purchaser or user. These trays I show made in two forms, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, but do not limit myself to these precise forms, as they may be varied and still be within the spirit of my invention.

In Fig. 3 a fiat frame 4 is shown made up of rods 5, preferably of aluminium for combined lightness and strength. At each rear corner is a catch 6, having one end coiled around the corner of the tray and its other end bent to form a tooth 7 and a loop 8, as clearly like that shown in Fig. 3; but as this style of tray is usually used at the top of the trunk I provide it with lugs 10 on the upper frame thereof and which rest on the top of the body of the trunk. I provide the deep tray with a partition 11, which, like the sides, is formed of woven fabric. This partition, besides the ordinary function of such a device, serves as a support for the under part of the fastening, while the upper part of the same is forced down upon it to fasten the two parts and the flaps together.

Both the flat and deep trays are preferably provided with folding flaps l2, which may either be made with four overlapping flaps, as in Fig. 2, or there may be eight flaps, as in Fig. 3, or in very large trunks more flaps may be employed, if desired. The flaps should be provided with some convenient means of fastening their adjoining ends together, and for this purpose I prefer to use separable buttons 13, such as are used for fastening gloves, (to. By these means small articles, such as collars, handkerchiefs, &c., may be securely held in place on the trays, as four of the flaps with the buttons of the tray form a pocket within which small articles may be securely held, no matter how roughly the trunk may be used in traveling. As an additional means of security the articles may be pinned to the bottom, sides, or flaps of the trays, and this will be facilitated by the sides of the deep tray being of woven fabric instead'of a wooden frame, such as is commonly used. If preferred, strips of webbing may be employed instead of broader fabric.

In setting the tray in place it is held in an inclined position, the front thereof slipped into one of the notches in the front support, and the catches held back by the fingers of the user until the rear of the tray is opposite the proper ring in the rear supports, when the fingers are withdrawn and the teeth of the catches allowed to slip into the rings, when the tray will be securely held. By reversing the operation the tray may be readily removed.

Where a wooden trunk is used, the support 3 may be dispensed with by making a series of holes in the rear side, which extend only part-way through the same. The springcatch will enter these holes and hold the tray fast, the same as when used in connection with the rings in said support 2. g

A tray similar to that shown in Fig. 2, a spring-catch similar that shown in Fig. 6, and supports similar to those shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the present application are shown in my application filed of even date herewith and numbered serially 711,008; but no claim to the special form of tray and spring-catch is made in said application, such subject-matter being covered herein.

I am aware of the United States Patent No. 581,553, granted to G. R. Harsh April 27, 1897, and the English patent to Men sendieck, No. 10,768, of 1897, and make no claim to anything shown therein, as I regard my invention as essentially difierent from the devices shown and claimed in said patents.

What I claim as new is- 1. The combination with a trunk, of a tray having upper and lower skeleton frames rigidly connected together, and having a bottom and sides of Woven fabric and a central partition, with flaps attached to the upper frame and having fastenings at their free ends adapted to meet ox'er the partition, substantially as described.

2. A trunk-tray having a skeleton frame provided with a catch 6 having one end connected to said skeleton frame and a tooth 7, and loop 8 at its other end, the tooth being adapted to engage a suitable fastening-eye and the loop to receive the finger of the operator, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of March, 1899.

SARA BARKER SMITH.

Witnesses:

C. H. GARDNER, FRANKLIN TABER. 

